To get familiar with the history of paraplanes, we need to get back to the mid of the 20th century. In 1964 in the United States in 1964 a “Parafoil Chute” came into existence. It was a wing which was made out of a material originally designed for parachute canopies. On the 5th of May, 1964, the Parafoil was patented. At the Notre Dame University, under Dr. Nicolaides supervision, a mechanical power was added to this project.

Pilot Lowell Farrand was the first who executed a test-flight on this powered-airchute. Mr Farrand and Dr Nicolaides initiated this kind of aviation.

However, the first parachute with a motor looked nothing like today’s paraplane. There were two prototypes which were powered with different types of propellers. In both constructions there were installed helms of direction as in an aeroplane.

The American Army also got interested in a „ParaPlane”. The parachute was connected with the engine in the plane’s cabin, so that the pilot could continue the flight in an emergency situation. But for lack of funds the works on this project had to be ceased.

In 1981 the engineer of the aeronautics, Steve Snyder and Adrian Vandenberg, began the construction of a small single „ParaPlane” – a Paraplane driven by two small engines with a very low-power (15PS).

In January 1983 the works on a ParaPlane were finally finished. Couple of months later on a Sun & Fun Airshow in Florida Steve’s ParaPlane achieved a true success.

After that ParaPlanes conquered hearts of many pilots. Do you know why? Because they turned out to be a very safe aerocraft, very straightforward in the pilotage and, what is most important, the price was very accessible. Their popularity rised very quickly, everyone wanted to have such an aerocraft for themselves. Steve began a true PPC-Powerchutes era.